My 41 year old daughter was diagnosed on Dec. 20 with NF 1. A tumor extends from her neck along her spine to the middle of her back. It is causing multiple challenges with balance, strength, walking, pain, etc. She will be having surgery from C4 to T2 with a third of the back of the vertebrae removed, the tumor compressing her spinal cord removed, two titanium rods with screws put in. There is more than a 70% chance a nerve going to her left arm will be cut as the tumor has encased it. That damage will be permanent. she will wear a back brace for 6-9 months, and with bone growth stimulation, her back should fuse into one big bone.
We are believing that she will be back to her normal lifestyle next fall, riding horses, driving her 6 and 11 year old sons to school and sports events, hunting elk for family food, and going to the river with friends. Our family and friends are supporting her in any way possible that she needs. All I ask for is the strength to maintain that positivity no matter what happens, no matter what the outcome is. We are all in this together. I ask for you to not just think about Nikki, but about all the children and adults challenged by neurofibromatosis, all those people challenged by traumas and abnormal cells and life's challenges. I love you all.
"A positive attitude may not solve all your problems. But it will annoy enough people to make it worthwhile." :-)

Nine months ago my husband lost his job. He is still without work. We were facing foreclosure on our home but luckily we were able to sell it. I still come to work each day with a smile on my face. My attitude is that this is a new adventure for us on the journey of life. Who wants to walk around in life all the time being gloomy? I certainly don't! I choose to be happy and deal with the hand that I have been given. Now my positivity bracelet will remind me of that. I bought a bunch of them to pass along to my friends to remind them to be positive also!

I'm a sophmore at school in DC, about 6 hours away from my hometown, and even though I love school, I often feel depressed and homesick when I leave my family. My mother gave me a positivity bracelet to remind me that I am so lucky in so many ways. I also recently saw the adorable and hilarious viral Youtube video "Marcel the Shell Part Two" and while the video is certainly amusing, the motto given at the end is truly poignant. Marcel says in closing, "Guess why I smile a lot? Because it's worth it." I am reminded every day that it is always worth it to see the positive in life.

To quote my 10 year old daughter, "If you're not laughing at yourself you're not Living!!" She is so wise.

If you haven't read the book TEXT YOU by Kellie Acosta, you would be uplifted if you did. TEXT YOU helped me achieve some positive goals in my life last year. You can text yourself positive affirmations, atta boys, or whatever you feel will keep you in a positive mood or on the road to achieving your own goal.
Go check it out on Amazon and see for yourself. I use TEXT YOU everyday as it reminds me how wonderful life really is.

I started wearing my positivity bracelets a couple of weeks ago. I look at them now and think about what is good in my life, they give you a better outlook I feel.

If you try your hardest you can always accomplish anything in your life.

My friend just gave me my positivity bracelet for Christmas and I love it! I reminds me to stay positive about my broken up relationship. I have never even taken it off because I love it so much.

I have a truly inspiring story to share. I have been purchasing Posi+ivi+y bracelets for a while now to share with my friends at the gym where I go. I wear them and give them to friends who I think really need one and then I purchase more. Recently I gave one to one of my favorite spin instructors, Mary, because her son was being deployed to Iraq for the 3rd time, right before Christmas. A short time after he was to be deployed I saw her and she told me that he was not being deployed until after Christmas now and she told me that she has not once taken the bracelet off. I saw her this morning (Jan. 4) and she told me that she got a phone call from him last night and that his deployment was terminated! He will not ever have to go back to Iraq! She handed me the bracelet with a tear in her eye and said thank you, it worked! Now you can give it to someone else who really needs it!!

I bought 3 sets of bracelets for me and my daughters. After the hustle and bustle of the holidays were over I shared them with my girls at a NY Day dinner. It reminds me that I have a choice in life....when I wake up I can either smile and be grateful or go in the negative direction. I am thankful everyday for my life, my family and friends. I have passed one of my bracelets onto one dear friend. Spread the love......Jeannie